Bambaran Wisdom

My friend Pete ("Professor Henry Higgins" from Intro to Directing, for any who might remember) is working with the Peace Corps in Mali right now, and he sent out a list of some of his favorite proverbs and benedictions in the local language. Here they are.


Ala k’an kélén kélén wuli
Good night; literally, “May we wake up one by one”. (If everybody wakes up at the same time, something bad has happened.)

Ala k’a dogow caya a korow ye
“May he have more younger siblings than older ones”; a benediction used when a child is born.

Ala k’aw kan bén
“May your voices meet [be harmonious]”; a benediction for marriages.

Ala k’aw kisi sabaranitigiw ma
“May you be saved from the gossipers”; another benediction for marriages.

Yirikurun mén o mén ji la, a té ké bama ye
“However long a log stays in the water, it won’t ever become a crocodile.” Things and people are what they are despite their surroundings.

Gabugu ka koro ni misiri ye
“The kitchen is older than the mosque”; family is the basis of society.

Bolokoni kélén té se ka bélé ta
“One finger can’t pick up a rock”; importance of teamwork.


Sen kélén té sira bo
“One foot can’t make a trail”; friendship must be reciprocal.

Ni do ka ba ma sa, do ka na té diya
“If someone’s goat doesn’t die, someone’s sauce won’t be good”; sacrifices are necessary for happiness.

N’i y’a fo, ‘a ye n démé ka n ka waraba faga’ o ka soro a tulo b’i bolo; nga, n’a ku b’i bolo mogosi t’i démé
“If you say, ‘Come help me kill this lion’, you had better have its ears; if you only have its tail, no one will help you.” Have control of a situation before you ask others for help.

Dondokoro kungolo té dogo naji la
“A rooster’s head can’t be hidden in the sauce”; someone’s character always comes out.

Kélé bé ban ; kumajugu té ban
“Even wars come to an end, but insults never do.”

Mogo bé na mogo de bolo ; mogo bé taa mogo de bolo
“People arrive in human hands and depart in human hands”; between the midwife and the gravedigger, people need other people.